An investigation of the effects of BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 genes on litter size in Ramlic and Daglic sheep

This study was carried out to determine the presence of polymorphisms in genes affecting litter size. The SNPs in bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1B (BMPR1B), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) genes were detected in 60 uniparous and 60 multiparous ewes from Ramlic and Daglic breeds. The ewes are maintained in nine public herds at the breeding station of the Afyonkarahisar Sheep and Goats Breeders' Association and lambed in two consecutive breeding seasons. PCR and DNA sequencing analyses were conducted, and 36, 4, and 11 SNPs in Ramlic and 40, 3, and 11 SNPs in Daglic were detected in BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 genes, respectively. A total of 16 SNPs in Ramlic and 10 SNPs in Daglic breeds for three genes were found to be significant (P < 0.05). The resulting analyses showed that four SNPs (g.49496G>A, c.1658A>C, c.2037C>T, c.2053C>T) of the BMPR1B gene and one deletion mutation (c.28_30delCTT) in the BMP15 gene of the Ramlic breed as well as five SNPs (c.1487C>A, c.2492C>T, c.2523G>A, c.2880A>G, and c.2763G>A) of the BMPR1B gene of the Daglic breed have significant positive regression coefficients in the desired direction of the rare allele. The observed mutations have potential to be used as genetic markers in the selection of prolific animals for both breeds.